


Role Models

by AbstractAurora



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Ambiguous Relationship, Brief References to Harrassment, Dialogue Heavy, F/F, mild hurt-comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-24
Updated: 2014-11-24
Packaged: 2018-02-26 19:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2664023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbstractAurora/pseuds/AbstractAurora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being a role model - especially a famous one - is never easy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Role Models

Once again Sayaka Maizono was crying, but this time there was nowhere she could hide. Her eyes watered and her throat ached for relief as she flew down the stairs to the first floor of Hope's Peak Academy.

Flashbacks from a few minutes ago played through her mind. Sayaka had been so hopeful at the beginning of her first day at the academy. With her entrance into the best school in the country, she had foolishly expected the incoming students to pay her no mind. After all, she was just another talented individual - a celebrity was not out of place in an institution as elite as Hope's Peak Academy. Finally, she would be able to escape the toxic environment of the Japanese idol culture.

Unfortunately, her arrival at the academy was met with starstruck looks and outright harassment. And just like with her encounters with entitled fans elsewhere, Sayaka was expected to remain calm and pleasant as they clamored for her touch.

How could she be so stupid? Tears flooded her eyes as she silently cursed her naïvety. No matter where she went, she was always going to be "The Idol." People everywhere would always expect Sayaka Maizono to be a perfectly cute little virginal girl. Oh, but if only they knew what went on behind the scenes! The things she had been through...should they ever find out, their hair would curl...

Sayaka's head flew from side to side. From where she was standing, she could not go back to her dorm room. That would mean passing through the entrance hall, which always seemed to be busy with students at this time of day. The bathrooms were nearby...but no, that wouldn't do either. She had no idea whether there would other girls in there. Her only option, it seemed, was the school gymnasium.

While she held back tears, Sayaka bolted into the gym. Luckily, it was empty. If she could just find a spot under the bleachers, she would be able to recover without someone else noticing her. She couldn't let another student see her in this awful state. If she ever let that happen, her reputation would be ruined.

Sayaka gasped, letting a few tears run down her cheeks, once she entered the area under the bleachers.

"Oh!"

Her stomach dropped fifty feet as she locked eyes with another student. But this student was not just any random person from the Reserve Department, or even a run-of-the-mill Ultimate student.

"Wha...huh...AH!"

Her short scream startled the other student.

"You're...you're Princess Sonia, aren't you!?"

Sonia Nevermind let out a loud sigh in response, further intensifying the horrible pain in Sayaka's stomach.

"What's wrong?" Sayaka said, her voice fragile. "I can leave if you want to."

It took Sonia a few seconds to respond with:

"You do not have to go."

Her words were sincere enough that Sayaka decided to sit down. And so they sat in silence for a moment, the gymnasium's air purifier providing background noise. While Sayaka calmed herself down, she became aware of her companion's mood. There was something about it that was...perhaps tired and resigned at once. For all she knew, Sonia was having a harder time blending into Hope's Peak Academy than Sayaka herself was.

The urge to cry slowly faded away. Now that she had company, she needed to put on her happy face once more.

Once her stomach stopped hurting, Sayaka said, "Let me guess...you don't want to be called a princess. You just want to be...some person without a title, right?"

Sonia appeared surprised at her words.

"Hm? How...did you know that?"

Sayaka gave Sonia a knowing smile through her reddened face.

"I'm psychic," she responded.

"Really?" Sonia asked, her eyes widening. "You may not know this, but I occasionally read about the supernatural, and from what I have-"

"Oh, I'm just kidding!"

"What?"

Sayaka giggled. "I'm just good at reading faces."

Sonia became downcast once more. Sensing this, Sayaka added, "I hope you can forgive me anyway."

"Forgive you?" Sonia said. "For what?"

"I should've figured you wouldn't want to be called Princess. I can't help it, though. I've always wanted to be a princess!"

"Really?" Sonia asked reluctantly.

"Or something like that," Sayaka said, waving a hand. "Did you know that I'm a famous idol singer?"

Sonia gasped, her hands clenching into fists.

"An idol singer!?" she yelped.

Sayaka shrugged. "My name is Sayaka Maizono. Do you know about me?"

"I listen to your music all the time!" Sonia said, barely containing her excitement. "Your group is famous in my home country!"

"What? Really?"

It was not like Sayaka was unknowing of her group's massive popularity. To her, though, it was odd to think about the refined Princess Sonia Nevermind of Novoselic listening to J-pop in some ancient European castle.

"You know," Sonia said, "there are times where I become envious of your profession..."

"Wait...you want to be an idol?" Sayaka said.

"Well..."

Sonia paused for a moment.

"I am happy to be the Princess of Novoselic," she eventually said. "I really am. But when you have centuries of fair rulers preceding you, and you are expected to live up to the high standards set before you..."

"Awww," Sayaka said, placing a hand on her heart.

"And I've never had any friends my age..."

"I'll be your friend," she offered.

Sonia smiled, both relieved and grateful.

"And yeah, I know what you're talking about," Sayaka said. "I've always wanted to be an idol singer. I spent my childhood watching them on TV. They always looked so happy, you know? So when I became one, I didn't expect to find out that there's...darker stuff going on behind the scenes."

"I know what you mean," Sonia said grimly.

Silence followed. In the distance, they could hear someone's sharp laughter ringing through the hallway.

"We should be all right," Sayaka said.

"I hope so," Sonia replied. "I do not want to be known as just 'The Princess' for the rest of my stay here."

Sayaka laughed. "That would be unfortunate, wouldn't it be?"

"Well, when I first came here to Hope's Peak Academy," Sonia said, "I was hoping to escape my life at home for a while. Back in Novoselic, everyone knew who I was and treated me differently. But now that I am here...everyone acts strange around me. Wherever I go, I am some sort of celebrity. I am always put into a spotlight."

"Me too!" Sayaka said. "It's stressful, really, trying to keep up a happy face all the time. Every night, I lie down in bed and just want to sleep for the rest of my life."

"Ah, that is too bad."

"How about this..." Sayaka said, an idea suddenly appearing in her mind. "If either one of us needs to cry, we'll just find each other."

Sonia's face became pensive.

"Hmmm..."

"I won't ever judge you!" Sayaka offered. "I'll always understand!"

Sonia was still silent. Sayaka watched her, awaiting an answer.

"I suppose that would be nice..." Sonia said.

The way she responded, however, Sayaka knew there was more that was bothering her.

"What else is wrong?" she asked.

"Hm?"

"I can read your face," Sayaka explained gently. "Just tell me why you're still feeling down."

"We...we do not just have to cry with each other, right?"

"Huh?"

"If at all possible," Sonia said earnestly, "I would like to talk about happy things, too."

Sayaka gasped in both shock and relief.

"That's not what I meant at all!" she insisted. "Of course we can talk about happy things! I'm just saying that if you need a friend, I'm here for you. We can laugh and cry together."

"Do you really mean that?" Sonia said.

"Absolutely."

Sonia smiled once again, but this time, it was the brightest Sayaka had ever seen it.

Out of instinct, Sayaka reached into her bag and withdrew a few pieces of candies. She had gotten them from a hopeless admirer from the Reserve Department. As she was not a huge fan of candy, now seemed like a good time as any to get rid of them.

"Here," Sayaka said, offering the pieces to Sonia. "I have some konpeito candies. Would you like some?"

Sonia inhaled and placed her hands on her mouth.

"I've always wanted to try one!" she whimpered through her fingers.

"Well, have as many as you want."

Sonia eagerly accepted the konpeito candies. While she opened one up and began to suck on its sugary flavor, Sayaka glanced around the gymnasium. Much to her relief, it was still empty. She wasn't quite ready to leave and return to the real world.

Still, her future was much brighter than it had seemed when she first entered the gym in a mess of tears. She now had a beautiful friend to call her own - one who could understand her more than anyone else at Hope's Peak Academy. And for that reason alone, Sayaka figured things were finally looking up.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure if this is a start to a romantic relationship or just a friendship. But I suppose it works either way.


End file.
